Sometimes you just have to stop. Here’s why. I usually have the most positive outlook on life. When the footing for this cheery attitude starts to get shaky, I need to take care of myself a bit. As 40 looms near, I feel so many stresses that come with the age. At any given moment I have been grappling with the sickness of a close friend, home repair headaches, and myself trying to balance children, a budding career and being over-volunteered. On top of that, the hurdle of getting my son to complete a bible-sized packet of CMT practice by Monday may send me into a strait jacket. I realize that many of us have these stresses as well, but sometimes it just feels like you are just being sucked up by a tornado. I was supposed to go to a party tonight for my beautiful little nieces. I felt so tired and overwhelmed that I called them an hour before the party to tell them that I just needed to stay home. I felt terrible calling at the last minute. I think that sometimes we just have to gather up the nerve to say no, even when we are so good at saying yes. Saying no is really difficult as I have an insatiable appetite to pay it forward to my family and my community. A well-balanced person realizes when the gauge is teetering dangerously close to overheating. I know for a fact then when I have neglected any exercise for over a week, that I have hit the skids and I’ve over-heated. So here I am typing and cooling down. I know I am much more useful to this world when I feel an inner peace as life’s tornado swirls around me. This happy girl could use some of her favorite things to help her come around: sunshine, hot chocolate, a day of uninterrupted photography and some Twizzlers to name a few. For now, I’ll take the hot chocolate…it’s a good start.